Redemption

Chapter Eighty

Three Months Later

"Would you hold still?" Sue scolded as she pulled Danni back to where she was able to reach her so she could finish fastening the last button on the back of her dress. This one foul, little piece was the only one that wouldn't cooperate and Danni's fidgeting didn't help much, either. There was still at least twenty minutes to go; though Sue wasn't sure how much more of her cousin's nerves she could take. She didn't bother to look up to see what Danni was saying—she was positioned right in front of a large, full-length mirror so Sue could read her, yet it wouldn't be of much use, considering all Danni was doing was mumbling to herself. She figured that if it was important Lucy or Tara would fill her in, until then, she would just ignore her to the best of her ability.

"Sorry," Danni signed once she was allowed to turn around and face her cousin. "I guess I'm just nervous." That was an understatement; her legs were so wobbly that she could barely stand and when she tried to sit, they would continuously shake. Her hands were the same—each item she picked up, she'd dropped at least three times before giving up altogether and jut let the others to her hair and makeup. Her stomach was twisting so tightly into knots that the mere thought of food sent it into a spasm and if there had been anything inside it, it would have rebelled.

"What's there to be nervous about?" Lucy asked as she helped put the veil into place and fluff it out so it rested naturally atop her curly-brown locks. "You're marrying one of the FBI's hottest bachelors. If I was you, I'd feel lucky. You'd be amazed at how many women would like to get their hands on Bobby." She'd heard stories through the rumor-mill, her favorite place to find some juicy gossip. She remembered when Bobby had become single after Darcy and how the women would swoon at him when he passed. Of course, he'd been too numb at the time to comprehend what was going on, which was a good thing. He didn't end up with a woman who would swoon over him and grant his every wish; he'd found his match, his soul mate and it all happened with a simple chance-encounter.

It seems like Jack and Sue's theory of chance-encounters was certainly a popular one and very effective. After all, that was how Lucy was about to score Myles again.

"Why?" Tara asked with a smirk. "Because you only ended up with Myles?" she teased as she slipped into her shoes—two-inch paradise-pink-colored shoes—and testing the waters before taking a step.

"Very funny," Lucy glared in a teasing manner, which caused Danni to let out a soft chuckle—her first real laugh in hours.

"I think it's sweet," Sue added as she motioned for Danni to spin around and model her dress. Relieved that their banter had helped her cousin a little bit, Sue smiled when she saw the white satin fabric twirl around Danni's legs as she tried to rid herself of some excess energy.

Before she got too dizzy, she stopped herself, her gaze focusing on Lucy in a curious manner. "Luce, I was wondering, how did you and Myles ever get approval to date? I mean, I know Jack and Sue's predicament helped a little bit, but I didn't think they changed the whole policy." She was pleased that even though Jack and Sue had been caught in a compromising situation, they'd handled it to the best of their ability to prove that they could still work together as a couple. Apparently, they'd been credited as a good example for those in the same unit who wish to date and that caused the rule to be amended for a short period of time before being updated for the modern world.

Sue was ecstatic that she and Jack could still work as a team, yet there was an underlying sadness within her eyes and Danni could tell what that was. Jack, being the turtle that he was, hadn't asked Sue to marry him yet and the last time she'd addressed the girls about it, she'd been given some half-hearted advice from Lucy and Tara—who didn't know what to say—and a simple smile from her cousin. She knew that Sue suspected that she knew something, but if she did, she certainly would tell. Even now she wore that I-know-something-you-don't-know smile and recognized the look of frustration that Sue constantly wore when she looked at Danni when the subject of Jack was brought up.

Happily, Danni would plead the fifth until the time was right—then she would let her cousin off the hook and put her fears to rest.

Sue noticed the familiar smile on her cousin's lips and knew what she was thinking about and it frustrated her to no end that Danni knew something about Jack and she wouldn't tell her, no matter what she bribed her with—chocolate had always worked when they were children, but unfortunately, Danni had either grown out of that phase, or her resolve had increased for the sweet concoction that Sue would wave under her nose to get information. Of course, she knew she couldn't focus on the underhanded side that Danni possessed. This was supposed to be a happy day.

Danni and Bobby were getting married.

He fumbled with the tie, yet again, his fingers not cooperating as the fabric continued to slip through his shaking fingers. "Bugger," he grumbled as he tried once more. Fumbling again, he groaned loudly and just let the bowtie fall—he would worry about it later.

"Nervous, Crash?" Jack asked, patting his friend on the shoulder and helping him to tie the tie. He tried not to chuckle at his friend's expense, but it was so rare when Bobby would lose his cool to this extent, which made it twice as hard to hold his laughter back. The corner of his mouth quirked up as his shoulders silently shook, yet when he looked into Bobby's eyes, he saw what the other man was feeling and knew the groom wouldn't notice his laughter.

"Guess so," was all Bobby was able to say with a slight shrug of his shoulders, his mouth suddenly dry again. When Jack was finished, he reached for the bottle of water he'd set down only moments ago and drank deeply. No matter how hard he tried, his thirst could not be quenched. It felt like he'd swallowed a dozen cotton balls and they'd all become stuck in his throat. It also didn't help that his collar felt too sizes too small. At first, he'd thought it had something to do with the way Jack tied his bowtie, but then he realized that it was nerves and his imagination. Lowering the bottle and swallowing, he tugged on the collar to feel a bit of relief, but it only returned a moment later.

"Easy there," Myles teased as he adjusted his jacket in the full-length mirror, making sure the fabric lay just right and there wasn't a hint of lint visible to him. He may not have been the one getting married, or the best man, but he still needed to look presentable. After all, he was a Leland, and Lelands always strived to look their best at a public function, even if the attention was solely on someone else. "We don't want you running off during the ceremony because you couldn't hold you water." Just to be safe, he took the bottle from Bobby and hid it from view. It was better to go out there with a dry mouth than to have to answer nature's call in the middle of your own wedding.

Trying his hardest to glare at the blonde agent, he knew he'd taken away his only source of comfort for a good reason and that made him just plop down into one of the chairs and put his head in his still-shaking hands. If he moved his head any lower, the other two noticed, his head would be between his knees as he took in deep, calming breaths to relax.

He couldn't understand why he was so nervous, because he knew Danni was the one for him. It just didn't stop his stomach from twisting into knots as time ticked ever closer to the moment when he would see his beautiful bride walk down the aisle. The relentless butterflies that were fluttering around his stomach made him feel nauseous—hence the need to put his head between his legs—which made him feel lucky that breakfast hadn't looked too appealing to him, this morning.

Raising his head, he studied his shaking hands, wishing that they would just stop for a second so the rest of his nerves could calm down as well. Unfortunately, he knew the only way for that to happen was for them to get through the ceremony and kiss his brand new bride. Of course, as an afterthought, it didn't really seem so bad at the end. He and Danni would be embarking on their new life together, after today and though they didn't have a house they could call their own, yet, they at least had their comfy apartment which would do until the right house came along.

Myles and Jack looked at one another as they saw how wracked Bobby's body was. They weren't even sure he would be able to make it to the altar without fainting or worse. Of course, what they really had to worry about was when the doors opened and Danni started walking down the aisle on her father's arm. They would have to continuously remind the Aussie to breathe so the fainting scenario wouldn't be possible. The last thing they wanted to do was call an ambulance on what was supposed to be the happiest day of Bobby's life.

"You don't think he's having second-thoughts, do you?" Myles whispered to Jack who seemed to be thinking the exact same thing at the exact same moment.

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that question," Jack replied as he pulled up a chair beside Bobby, Myles doing the same as they formed a manly pow-wow to try to understand what Bobby was going through.

Fortunately, or unfortunately—they weren't quite sure at the moment—a knock sounded at the door. Myles and Jack looked to one another as if mentally telling the other one to get the door, while the one remained would have to see to Bobby. Jack, still being the team leader, despite the lack of FBI environment, won, which forced Myles to get up from his seat and answer the door.